Collapsible life-boat.



Patented July H. ERNST.

COLLAPSIBLE LIFE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26. 1914.

H. ERNST.

COLLAPSIBLEUFE BOAT. APPLlcATloN man SEPT. 26,'1914.

Patented July 13, 1915.

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' oonnersnsnn LIFE-Boar. I

application med-September 26, 1914:. Serial No. 863,673. l

T0 all whom it may concern.'

Beit known that I, HUGO ERNST, a citizen of the United States, residing vat Camden in the county of Camden and State of ew Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Life-Boats, of

l which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to. boats, and more particularly to the classof collapsible life boats.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a boat wherein the same when not in use can be readily folded'into compact form so that any number of the boats may be stored ina comparatively small area, the construction of the boat insuring strength when in open position for use. j

Another object of the "invention is the provision of a boat of this character'wherein the construction thereof is of novel form so that it can be readily and easily folded and unfolded.

`A further object of the invention is the provision of a boat of this character which is extremely simple in construction, reliable qand efficient in its purpose, and inexpensive in manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andpointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a boat constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View on the line 3-8 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the boat collapsed. Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal sectional view onthe line 5-5 of Fig.'2. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the door sections. Fi 7 is a detail sectional view on the line 7 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken through the ioor of the boat.

Similar'- reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several' views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the collapsible boat comprises a foldable frame including fore and aft keel pieces 1 and 2, respectively, yto which is secured a metallic strap 3 extending the entire length of the frame, the ends of the strap 3 being inset in the keel pieces so as to form a Hush joint therebetween, the outwardly bowed braces 4, 5 and 6 .constituting each side .of the frame and are connected to the keel pieces 1 and 2 through the medium of double hinges 7 which allow the said braces to lie flush 'with the sides of the boat when the same is in an open position, and .also permit the sides of the frame to be brought together when the boat-,is c ollapsed.

Supportedupon the strips 6 and connected thereto through the medium of hinges 8 are floor sections 9, the free or meeting end edges of the latter being formed with the usual tongue and groove 10 and 11 so that the meeting ends of the said sections will overlap one another and thereby ,adord a strong floor with flush surfaces when the boat is in open position. The meeting edges. l

of the floor sections 9 are connected through the medium of hinges 11 so that on the folding of the boat the floor vthereof will fold outwardly into the position as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.v

Covering the frame isl acanvas or other suitable` fabric-sheeting 12 which isfirmly fastened to the said frame and is reinforced along the inner side thereof with wire net ting 13, thus holding the same flexible but rigid. Located within the frame and covering the area of the bottom Vthereof is a pneumatic. bag 14, the `bag being disposed between the strip 43 which serves as the keel and the iioor sections 9, 'and is adapted to be inflated or filled with air when the boat is extended so as to render the same nonsinkable.' The bag 14: is providedwith a valved nipple 15 which permits the filling thereof with air, andthe said nipple is extended through a suitableopening in a pair of adjacent floor sections so as to make it readily accessible for the application of a pump or other device when it is desired to ll the bag with air for inflating the same.

Above the floor at a suitable height are arranged folding seats-16 which are piv- A otally secured to the strips Il by means fof hinges 17, each seat vbeing formed in two lparts swingingly connected at its center through the medium of hinges 18, the hinged joints at the center of each seat 'being provided with the usual tongue and groove to form a close fitting and Hush joint when the seats are lowered. Swingingly connected to the two parts of each seat near the center joint thereof are legs 19 which'are adapted to contact with the door and serve to suplll@ sides of the keel J port the seat atthe center thereof to prevent the sagging or the lowerlng of the seat when said'braces and having break joints in aline?,

. ment with the keel, an inflatable buoyant bag located between the floor sections and the keel, a leXiblecovering without andy fixed to the respective. keelpieces, keel and braces, and sectional hingedly connected seats pivotally secured to another pair of the braces and having break joints in ver- 1f tical alinement with the break joints of the floor sections.

2. A collapsible boat comprising fore and aft keel pieces, a keel strip connected to said pieces, double hinges connected to opposite sides of the keel pieces, outwardly bowed braces connected with the said hinges, a plurality of Hoor sections hinged to a pair of said braces and having break joints in alinementwith the keel, an inflatable buoyant bag located between the Hoor sections and the keel, a flexible covering without and fixed to the respective keel pieces, keel and braces, sectional hingedly4 connected seats pivotally secured to another pair ofthe braces and having break joints in vertical alinement with the break joints of the Hoor Sections, and substantially U shaped legs pivotally mounted on the seats to rest/on the floor sections to prevent the sagging of the seats and also to prevent the Outward folding of the said floor sections.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature and adapted in presence of two Witnesses.

- HUGO ERNST. Witnesses HELEN G. DALEY, lToRMANA J. SMITH. 

